Alarms should be going off for Blackhawks following Leo Carlsson offer sheet

The air raid sirens should be going off in Chicago on Friday evening. The nuclear blast that was the Leo Carlsson offer sheet should send the Blackhawks into DEFCON-1. The five-year $18 million offer sheet for the Swedish forward is something the entire NHL was fearing would happen.

But as the chatter suggests, it might not be the last one this offseason. Two prime candidates stand out as offer sheet candidates: Jason Robertson and Connor Bedard.

In a previous piece, we explored how the Barrett Hayton offer sheet by the New Jersey Devils was a salvo. It was the warning shot that everyone knew could come. But after the opening salvo, the next step was pushing the red button.

And so, the Blackhawks need to have their missile defense at full blast. The only real way Chicago could deter any other team from offer sheeting Bedard is to sign him. All of a sudden, there’s a real sense of urgency.

What if there’s another team sneaking up on the Blackhawks, waiting to pounce on the opportunity?

The dangers are there, lurking in the dark. That’s why the Blackhawks must act now, before it’s too late.

What would be next step for Blackhawks in case of Bedard offer sheet?

Should the worst happen, should another team push the button and offer sheet Bedard, the next step for the Blackhawks would be to match or let him go.

It would be too bad to let Bedard go. But if another team is willing to pay $18 million for Bedard, or even more, the Blackhawks would need to figure out if he’s really worth paying Leo Carlsson money.

The optics of letting Bedard go would be terrible for the Blackhawks. But the organization is in a good position to withstand the loss of someone like Bedard. The Blackhawks have solid depth and, on the bright side, the savings from not having to pay Bedard could go back into the team as they search for another center.

Yes, losing the first-overall pick from 2023 will sting. It will even set the rebuild back quite a bit. But then again, would it really be the worst thing in the world if Bedard walked?

It would not be the end of the world. If Bedard leaves, the weight of signing him to a massive extension will be on the other club and not the Blackhawks.

Fans may not like the idea of seeing Bedard walk away. But at the end of the day, business is business. And Kyle Davidson can’t afford to let another organization dictate how they handle contracts.

In the meantime, fans will have to hold their breath to see if Bedard really is next.

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